This invention relates to a dynamoelectric mounting assembly, and in particular, to a mounting assembly for an electric motor used in washing machine applications. While the invention is described in detail with respect to such applications, those skilled in the art will recognize the wider applicability of the inventive principles disclosed hereafter.
There are a multitude of ways known in the art for mounting electric motors in washing machines. In such applications, the motors are typically mounted relative to a power transmission assembly which transmits the power supplied by the motor to an agitator within a tub lying above the motor and transmission assembly. The transmission also supplies power conveyed by the motor to an interior perforated tub which holds the cloths so that when the perforated tub in spun by the transmission, liquid is removed from the clothes by centrifugal force. The many varieties of motor mountings used to position a motor relative to the transmission are typically adaptations for specific applications. If there is a typical motor mounting bracket, on might find that the bracket is symmetrical about the motor and that four mounting bolts are used to secure the motor to the machine support structure. Because of the variety of mounting approaches, there is, however, little uniformity or consistency in the design or functional arrangement in the brackets used to mount the motors relative to the transmissions. Generally, those prior art arrangements require a relatively large number of parts with corresponding complicated construction.
Today, product producibility is extremely important in keeping costs low. The motor mounting assembly in a washing machine is the type of item that can and should be as simple, producible, and low cost as possible. Manufacturers in general have adopted a world market approach to products. Such products, if they are to be successful must be designed so that they are simple to manufacture, easy to use, inexpensive to operate and highly reliable. In areas where these machines expect to be sold, the expectation and necessity for easily available maintenance and servicing capability cannot be underestimated. Thus, it is important that a simple means of mounting a motor relative to a power converting transmission for a washing machine be provided. With regard to the technical aspects of mounting the motor relative to the transmission, it is critical that the shaft mounted pulley on the motor be kept in a coplanar alignment with the shaft mounted pulley on the transmission assembly. If this relationship does not remain coplanar, the belt will ride off of the pulleys and power will not be transmitted from the motor to the transmission. If the alignment is off just slightly, the belt may remain on the pulleys, but the belt will be subject to undesirable wear and will ultimately break before reasonable life expectancy. The results of any of these conditions will, of course, require that either the user, or someone who can service the unit, be able to replace the belt. Even when belt wear is not a problem, other repair or maintenance operations may require removal of the motor and belt, for example. Again the service person must be able to make the necessary adjustments to assure the alignment is restored appropriately for normal operation of the washing machine.
Given all of these concerns, it is an object of the present invention to provide a motor mounting assembly that will maintain the planar alignment between the pulley on the motor and the pulley on the transmission unit so that a belt between the two pulleys can be maintained in the plane of the pulleys to assure normal operation of the washing machine and normal life expectancy of the belt. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a motor mounting assembly that is simple in design and strong enough to provide the necessary support for a motor mounted to a mounting plate, which supports in common, both the motor and the transmission with which it is associated. It is another object of the present invention to provide a motor mounting assembly that requires as few parts as possible. It is yet another object of the invention to simplify and minimize the fasteners required to secure the motor to the mounting plate which it shares with the tub and agitator transmission assembly. It is another object of the present invention to provide a mounting assembly requiring less mounting plate support material. And finally it is an object of the present invention to leverage the operating elements associated with the mounting bracket assembly to permit fewer fastening devices to be used. These and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the course of reviewing the drawings and disclosures which follow.